The second leg of this Europa League play-off is on Thursday at White Hart Lane. Make a note if you struggle with nerves and tension and would like a rare chance to witness a notable cup-tie played in an atmosphere of total relaxation with the outcome certain before kick-off.

This was pure humiliation, not only for Heart of Midlothian but for the whole of Scottish football, a sneering comment on the quality of Scotland’s top division and a source of encouragement for Tottenham Hotspur before their campaign gets serious on Monday with a trip to Old Trafford in the Barclays Premier League.

Though he is ambivalent about the Europa League, Harry Redknapp, the Tottenham manager, took a squad of famous names to the Scottish capital.…

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